Thursday, September 20, 2012

Neighbor

We had a fire in our neighborhood a while back. Everyone gathered a respectable distance away to watch the fireman do their job. One of them said something that really surprised me. He said he didn’t know who lived there and didn’t know their names.

Do you know your neighbors? Do they know you?

We went to grandparents day at our grandson’s school. We met his teacher, went to his room, all the usual stuff. Then we attended the chapel service. The story lesson was the “Good Samaritan.” Who is neighbor to the man who fell among the thieves?

Do you know your neighbors? Do they know you?

Today everyone is so busy. Both parents work. The kids are in school and after school care. Everyone gets home at the same time. There’s a rush to get dinner, get homework done, get baths and in bed and tomorrow it starts all over again. Who has time for anything?

Do you know your neighbors? Do they know you?

I hope that your house never catches on fire. But imagine for a moment, as your neighbors gather to watch, what will they say about you? “I didn’t know them. They seemed like a nice family.”

To me that is a sad commentary on our culture. I didn’t know them isn’t acceptable to me.

I challenge you to meet your neighbors and make the offer to be their neighbor in more than just living on the same block.



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